Wednesday, September 12, 2012

The past several months I have been going to a women's boxing gym. The workouts are comprised of 12 circuits, each with a different exercise, and we usually go through the circuits 3 times spending 30-45 seconds on each circuit. It kicks my butt. Usually by the 3rd exercise I'm dripping in sweat and leave a puddle behind me. Gross.

I've learned to drink a lot of water before these workouts, and it also helps to eat a little something. Well, last week I had a brand new container of salsa at home and thought, "Hey, I'll have chips and salsa before boxing!" Seemed like a good idea at the time. Except, I love that salsa (it is fresh stuff from Trader Joes). I ate half the container. I'm not kidding. I ate half a container of spicy salsa. And then I worked out. I had the WORST heartburn ever. That salsa was burnin me up! After every exercise I'd have to bend over because I was in so much pain... FROM THE SALSA! Peppers and jump rope don't mix.

Lesson learned: don't eat salsa before working out. It is a really stupid idea.

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Last night I stopped by the grocery store to pick up a few things. As I proceeded to the check out I noticed an older middle aged man walking in front of me. I couldn't help but notice his hand-held shopping basket was full of cans. Upon closer inspection I realized they were all tuna cans! His basket was full of cans of tuna!!! I made sure to get in the check out line behind him. I took a sneeky sneeky picture. And the final count of tuna cans? 52. He bought 52 cans of tuna and nothing else. I found it highly amusing.

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

I work at a law firm in Scottsdale. Dressing up is expected. Jeans are never allowed. Ever. That's a lot of pressure for a 20-something recent college grad coming in at entry level.I noticed one of my co-workers always wore the best clothes, and never the same outfit twice. I didn't know how she could afford such an awesome wardrobe, so I asked. That was one of the best questions I've ever asked in my life. This lady was a consignment/thrift store goddess. She knew how to work the systems and knew all the best shops. So, after that conversation 5 years ago I started going to Goodwill and a few other places. I've learned some tips and tricks. One of the best feelings is having a very stylish, materialistic person say, "Oh, I love your skirt/jacket/blouse!" and knowing you spent $1.50 on it.

Tips:

·Wear undergarments that cover everything. The clothes aren't guaranteed to be clean, so the less contact with your skin, the better. (Sorry if that grosses you out, but its reality.)

·Try on everything, and don't be scared to try on too many items. Just because the pants are your favorite brand and marked with your size does not mean they will fit. Someone might have donated them because they shrank 2 sizes in the dryer. OH! And while you’re by the fitting room, check the stuff people have already tried on! Those racks can be really good.

·Especially in pants, know what brands and sizes fit you. Be willing to try on a size bigger than you normally wear. And don’t ever pick up a pair of pants that don’t have butt pockets. Knowing those things make it a lot easier when you go through the rack of 400 pairs of pants. And I’ve found that 85% of the time I strike out on pants, but when you find one pair that fits the chances of finding another pair are greater because probably someone donated more than 1 pair.

·Shirt racks. Recently, I’ve started looking at the bottom of the shirts instead of the top. A shirt that is too short in the torso is bad, so it is easier just to look at the bottoms of the hanging shirts and see if there are any longer ones. I don’t do too well finding good shirts. Sometimes t-shirts, but you can find new Old Navy clearance t-shirts for cheap. (My best bet for shirts is going to the real store when they have additional 40% off clearance. Banana Republic just had it, but it ended yesterday and I missed it!The Limited had it every weekend from Thanksgiving to New Years.)

·I think sweaters and jackets are the best things to buy in a thrift store. Suede/leather is really expensive to get dry cleaned- so stay away from those. (I once bought my mom a beautiful suede jacket for $6, but when she looked into getting it cleaned the prices started at $50+)

·I think the biggest hurdle is finding the right stores. I really only go to 2 stores: Goodwill in Peoria (probably the biggest Goodwill ever), and one seemingly random little place on Cave Creek Rd, just north of Cactus by Dairy Queen. The random little place was recommended by the goddess coworker. I know that they get items from a bigger consignment store. So I get the emails from the big consignment store and when they advertise that their new season of clothes is going to be revealed on a specific day, I know they are getting rid of the ending season's inventory, so go to the cast off store that day. (Umm… yeah. I really am that pathetic. But hey, I got a perfect Banana Republic jacket for $3 and Express editor pants for $1.50.) If you don't live in Phoenix, I would suggest asking other thrift shoppers who are dressed nicely. I’ve done that before. One lady was trying on a jacket and I said, “Oh, that jacket looks so good on you. You have to get it.” “Thanks, but what would I wear with it?” “Good point. What other stores do you like to shop at? Do you know any hidden gems?”

·Thrift shoppers can physically get really pushy and invade your territory. Do not let them rush you. When I'm feeling my personal space being invaded, I’ll stop going through the rack, look at the pushy person with a “Are you seriously trying to push me?” glare. Some people aren’t deterred by the glare though. I also recommend the use of a shopping cart. It helps indicate your personal bubble.

·Make sure you have hand sanitizer with you, and go to the bathroom before you leave your house.

·Be nice to the workers. If you don't understand the store's system- ask! Tell them it is your first time there. Maybe they have sales on specific days, or have a sister store nearby.

Side note: Iron-on fabric tape is a wonderful invention. You can hem the bottom of your pants just using that stuff and an iron. And if you get it wrong you can just heat it up and peal it apart. They sell it at Target by the sewing machines and it is around $5. Die-hard seamstresses hate it, so keep it a secret from the sewers in your life.

Thrift store shopping is hard. It takes time and a lot of patience, so don't get discouraged if you don't snag Stuart Weitzman heels for $4 on your first outing (it took me a couple years to find mine!)And don’t ever feel like you have to buy something.Some days you strike out.Other days you strike it big.

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

I really enjoyed this article. It was a great reminder to me to be kind to everyone. Give sincere thank-yous and hellos. Don't be afraid to ask a question or give a compliment. And I need to reprogram my judgmental mind and give people the benefit of the doubt.

It reminds me of Jane Bennet in Pride and Prejudice. She was so kind to everyone, and always believed the best. I want to be more like that.

And C.S. Lewis' famous line, "There are no 'ordinary' people. You have never talked to a mere mortal."

Makes me want to run down to Starbucks and sit down with everyone and hear their life story. People are incredibly important.

God does know each person. He knows our stories, struggles, wounds, gifts, abilities, needs, bank account balance, where we sleep at night, ... He knows it all. And his response to this is the Ultimate in letting us know we're important-

This is how much God loved the world:
He gave his Son, his one and only Son.
And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed;
by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life.
-John 3:16 (MSG)

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Last night I stopped by my neighborhood Target to pick up some index cards (and check to see if the Missoni stuff was gone- it was.) As I was leaving the store I noticed a sign on one of the light posts. It was advertising "Local Calls $.25". I kept on walking, and then it hit me, why is there a sign for a pay phone in the middle of a parking lot? And didn't calls go up to $.35 about 15 years ago? And we're in Scottsdale, the land of boob jobs, fake tans, Range Rovers, and bedazzled millionaire cowboys. There aren't random pay phones in this neighborhood! So I walked over to the sign and couldn't find the phone. What the heck?! How long has that sign been there with no phone? I found the set up hilarious and laughed my head off for 5 minutes.

Friday, September 2, 2011

Show your support for our Arizona Cardinals by heading over to Sprinkles Cupcakes for a free Cardinals red velvet cupcake. You can score this freebie on Wednesday, September 7 from 9 a.m. until 8 p.m. But you do have to prove you are a Cardinals fan in order to get that cupcake. Show up during that time wearing a Cardinals jersey, shirt or hat. It is one free cupcake per fan.

Sunday, August 28, 2011

Several months ago I read the highly debated book, Love Wins by Rob Bell. It really made me question what I believe about salvation, hell, eternity, etc. My Sunday school class has also been going through an intense study of the book of Revelation which covers many of the same topics. I was getting pretty sick of the topic of "hell" and was really happy when we got to the topic of heaven.

So here's what I've come up with: What will we do in heaven? Will we just sit around and sing "Holy Holy Holy" for the rest of eternity? I hope there is more to it than that. Isaiah 65:17-25 gives a bit more detail. I especially like verse 21, "They will build houses and dwell in them, they will plant vineyards and eat their fruit." I take this to mean we will have jobs or responsibilities of some sort. In my imagination it goes something like this: God knows us. He created us with specific personalities, abilities, etc. In heaven we'll have jobs that match us, jobs that were made for us. In heaven we will be the best versions of ourselves, so we'll be working with other people who are the best versions of themselves. And our boss will be God. He'll know what projects we're working on, and how our work influences others and how it all works together in His big picture. And guess what? This part is my favorite, We can say, "Hey God, I've been trying to do this project this way, but it could probably be done better. Would you please help?" And He knows us and knows how we think and He can show us the RIGHT way to do something. And He won't be demeaning or confusing when He explains. And since it is heaven, there won't be those rotten Monday mornings where you wake up and think, "Ugh. Do I really have to start another week of this? I wonder how much vacation time I have." My image of heaven isn't a Biblical Truth, it is just my imagination. But I do know that God really does know the inner workings of me, and when I get to heaven it will be intense to be with the One who knows me like that.

I think this quote says it quite nicely, "I have come home at last! This is my real country! I belong here. This is the land I have been looking for all my life, though I never knew it till now." -Jewel the Unicorn in C.S. Lewis' The Last Battle

About Me

I'm a 20-something single girl living in the middle of a desert. My dad is a minister, I'm an only child, I was homeschooled (gasp), I went to college in Southern California. I have a fear of being boring, and at the same time I'm terrified of being in the spotlight. I love Jesus, family, friends, dessert, football, and my job (in that order).